dark nether
They brought the show to me!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A humble narrator spends a great deal of time and effort trying to find something interesting to take pictures of. Often, upon stumbling across an interesting scene, one has to think fast about how to manipulate the camera in unfamiliar settings. Imagine then, my happiness when the most familiar of settings – the stretch of Broadway here in Astoria that I live along – was suddenly plastered with orange signs proclaiming that a road paving operation was nigh.
The shots in the embedded YouTube video above were gathered over the course of a few nights. Terrifically dusty and noisy, the first night saw a road milling contractor at work scratching away the asphalt roadbed of Broadway. On two subsequent evenings, workers of the NYC DOT arrived with a lot of heavy equipment to lay down a new asphalt roadbed. They were pretty noisy as well, and then there’s that delicious hot asphalt smell…
No sound on the slideshow video above, so no need to listen for something. Not yet, anyway. Hint, hint.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Upcoming Tours and Events
Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Greenpoint Walking Tour w NYCH20
Explore Greenpoint’s post industrial landscape and waterfront with Newtown Creek Alliance historian Mitch Waxman.
Click here for ticketing and more information.
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
unnamable now
From Hells Gate, I stab at thee.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Wow, did we ever get caught in the rain last night on the Infrastructure Creek walking tour. Managed to not destroy my camera and gear, but holy moley. Sheets of rain, lightning, and I had to stick around until all the guests were on their way in ride shares or subway. Drenched. Single shot today, from Astoria, of the Triborough and Hell Gate Bridges. Back tomorrow with some more substance.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Upcoming Tours and Events
Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Greenpoint Walking Tour w NYCH20
Explore Greenpoint’s post industrial landscape and waterfront with Newtown Creek Alliance historian Mitch Waxman.
Click here for ticketing and more information.
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
vast trepidation
I’ve been colder, I tell ya.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A quick post today, with a few shots from the East River. Apparently, we’ve got a few tix still available for tonight’s “Infrastructure Creek” walking tour, so if you fancy a shvitz – come with. Links available below.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My dog Zuzu doesn’t want to leave the air conditioning, so I might have to just hold her over the toilet and squeeze her midsection in order to get her to blow off ballast. She’s a cold weather dog, and whereas I like it warm, today is just ridiculous.
Looking forward to seeing the electrical transformers start exploding this weekend?
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the USACE Hayward pictured above, passing under the Manhattan Bridge. It’s job is to keep the harbor clear of flotsam and jetsam. What’s the difference? Flotsam is stuff that naturally falls into the water, like trees and such. Jetsam is something that anthropogenic in origin, as in some bloke tossing crap into the water.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Upcoming Tours and Events
RESCHEDULED FROM LAST WEEK DUE TO WEATHER
Wednesday, July 17, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
“Infrastructure Creek” Walking Tour w Newtown Creek Alliance
If you want infrastructure, then meet NCA historian Mitch Waxman at the corner of Greenpoint Avenue and Kingsland Avenue in Brooklyn, and in just one a half miles he’ll show you the largest and newest of NYC’s 14 sewer plants, six bridges, a Superfund site, three rail yards with trains moving at street grade (which we will probably encounter at a crossing), a highway that carries 32 million vehicle trips a year 106 feet over water. The highway feeds into the Queens Midtown Tunnel, and we’ll end it all at the LIC ferry landing where folks are welcome to grab a drink and enjoy watching the sunset at the East River, as it lowers behind the midtown Manhattan skyline.
Click here for ticketing and more information.
Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Greenpoint Walking Tour w NYCH20
Explore Greenpoint’s post industrial landscape and waterfront with Newtown Creek Alliance historian Mitch Waxman.
Click here for ticketing and more information.
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
slippery thumping
A few more from DUPBO, in today’s post.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Recent endeavor found one beneath the Pulaski Bridge in LIC during a warm evening. Other photos from this series were presented last week, but for one reason or another I never showed these three off as I’ve been distracted by something closer to home and by a few medical issues. The big “project” for the last week has involved the fact that for once the City has brought the show to my own front door here in Astoria, but more on that one later in the week. Instead, here’s a few “purty” night shots.
Also, I published the wrong date for this week’s “Infrastructure Creek” walk yesterday, it’s Wednesday night rather than Thursday, and links to it are at the bottom of the post.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A humble narrator is already having a pretty odd week, it should be offered. It’s been decided that I’m actually going to use my health insurance rather than just having it, and a process has begun wherein I’m going to have diagnosticians examine all of the major systems which I’m in possession of. Yesterday, a Doctor and her team used microscopes to look at the entirety of my skinvelope, for instance. Made it through more or less intact, with the exception of having liquid nitrogen sprayed on a “thing” on the bridge of my nose and a scalpel carving a second but quite different “thing” off my left arm which was sent for laboratory analysis.
She wasn’t too concerned about either “thing,” the Doctor wasn’t. She kept on trying to assuage any fear I might have, whereupon I explained that what concerns me most is uncertainty. I don’t mind the proverbial sword of Damocles if I know about it, what drives me nuts is suspecting that the thing might be hanging over me and that I don’t know what to expect or prepare for. Optometrist is next, then I’ll move over to all the internals. Hoping someone can find that matchbox car I lost when I was five.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The big show that the City has brought to Astoria is a repaving project on Broadway, which has been an absolutely glorious display of millions of dollars of esoteric machinery being operated by large crews of night shift construction workers. I’m trying to figure out the right and most efficient way to show the operation, since as you’d imagine, I’ve shot hundreds of photos of the operation that’s playing out right under my bedroom windows.
Meantime, why not grab a ticket for tomorrow night’s Infrastructure Creek walk? It’s underwritten by Newtown Creek Alliance, so the ticket price is only $12!
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Upcoming Tours and Events
RESCHEDULED FROM LAST WEEK DUE TO WEATHER
Wednesday, July 17, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
“Infrastructure Creek” Walking Tour w Newtown Creek Alliance
If you want infrastructure, then meet NCA historian Mitch Waxman at the corner of Greenpoint Avenue and Kingsland Avenue in Brooklyn, and in just one a half miles he’ll show you the largest and newest of NYC’s 14 sewer plants, six bridges, a Superfund site, three rail yards with trains moving at street grade (which we will probably encounter at a crossing), a highway that carries 32 million vehicle trips a year 106 feet over water. The highway feeds into the Queens Midtown Tunnel, and we’ll end it all at the LIC ferry landing where folks are welcome to grab a drink and enjoy watching the sunset at the East River, as it lowers behind the midtown Manhattan skyline.
Click here for ticketing and more information.
Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Greenpoint Walking Tour w NYCH20
Explore Greenpoint’s post industrial landscape and waterfront with Newtown Creek Alliance historian Mitch Waxman.
Click here for ticketing and more information.
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
dismal moaning
I’m not a “morning person.”
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Saturday last, I was obliged to leave the house quite early by my standards, and head over to Lower Manhattan to conduct a tour on the Soundview line NYC Ferry. What that meant was standing on a dock on the Astoria line ferry at 8 in the morning, which isn’t tragic but I did need to grab an egg sandwich and a coffee first. After quaffing breakfast, one waved the camera around a bit on my way to Lower Manhattan’s Pier 11 where I was meant to meet the group.
I’ve been trying to frame up the shot above for the last month or so, glad that I finally pulled it off. That’s the Empire State Building framed by the Copper Building, if you’re curious or new to all this.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Most of my endeavors on the water occur at times preferential to my habits and obligations, which means late afternoon or evenings. There’s merit to late morning light, but I find it a bit harsh. Not as harsh as “solar maximum,” where the burning thermonuclear eye of god itself seems to be about ten stories over the ground and its emanations produce a supernal amount of hard contrast, but harsh.
That’s a close in shot of one of the smokestacks of the Big Allis power plant in the Ravenswood section of Long island City, if you’re curious.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Pictured above is the view along the Lower Manhattan waterfront at the foot of Wall Street, gathered while I was was waiting for the group to arrive.
Due to the line of heavy thunderstorms moving through the neighborhood last Thursday, we decided to reschedule the Newtown Creek Alliance “Infrastructure Creek” walking tour to this Thursday out of an abundance of caution. You don’t mess around with lightning, kid. This is the lowest price on this particular route and tour which you’re going to find all summer from me – $12.
Come with? Links below.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Upcoming Tours and Events
RESCHEDULED FROM LAST WEEK DUE TO WEATHER
Wednesday, July 17, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
“Infrastructure Creek” Walking Tour w Newtown Creek Alliance
If you want infrastructure, then meet NCA historian Mitch Waxman at the corner of Greenpoint Avenue and Kingsland Avenue in Brooklyn, and in just one a half miles he’ll show you the largest and newest of NYC’s 14 sewer plants, six bridges, a Superfund site, three rail yards with trains moving at street grade (which we will probably encounter at a crossing), a highway that carries 32 million vehicle trips a year 106 feet over water. The highway feeds into the Queens Midtown Tunnel, and we’ll end it all at the LIC ferry landing where folks are welcome to grab a drink and enjoy watching the sunset at the East River, as it lowers behind the midtown Manhattan skyline.
Click here for ticketing and more information.
Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Greenpoint Walking Tour w NYCH20
Explore Greenpoint’s post industrial landscape and waterfront with Newtown Creek Alliance historian Mitch Waxman.
Click here for ticketing and more information.
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
The Newtown Pentacle 